Only three men are left in the vicinity to wear the little bronze button on their coat lapel. A little emblem that whispers of long campaigns, in the early sixties, of the march with Sherman to the sea, of the Wilderness of Vicksburg of Anteatim, of Lookout Mountain, and a score of other engagements, under the direction of captains and generals who became noted men and were sent on to the presidency, some times.The three men at Medicine Lodge, who remain of the Civil War veterans are M. T. Williams, L. T. Williams, W. C. Barnard. These men have seen their post of the G. A. R. Dwindle from 150 ot more men down to just the three. There are only two other civil war veterans in the county, Mr. Streeter and John Hesler at Kiowa.
One cannot help but recall the poem by Walt Mason:
The Little Green TentsThe little green tents, where the soldiers sleep.
And the sunbeams play and the women weep
Are covered with flowers today,
and between the tents walk the weary few,
Who were young and stalwart in sixty-two,
When they went to the war away.
The little green tents are built of sod,
And they are not long and they are not broad,
But they have lots of room.
And the sod is part of the land they saved
When the flag of the enemy darkly waved,
The symbol of the dole and gloom.
The little green tent is a thing divine;
The little green tent is a country's shrine,
Where the patriots kneel and pray.
And the brave men left, so old and so few
Were young and stalwart in sixty-two,
When they went to the war far away.Today, May 30th, we will again pause in reverence for those valiant men who fought for their country and have marched on. Somehow, each succeeding Decoration Day seems a bit more hallowed. There are but few left among the living who fought in the great struggle, sixty-five years ago, out of which emerged a greater country. But those few deserve and should have, our tender respect and esteem. May an opportunity come to everyone on this Decoration Day to gladden at least one of the hearts of those few remaining feeble, gray-haired heroes.
The veterans of the Spanish-American war are Harvey McCoy, Will Lusk, H. E. Creger, Rye Woodward, W. F. Snow, all of Medicine Lodge. George Horton of Lake City; Earl Meairs of Isabel, Bert Parsons of Hardtner. There may be several at Kiowa but the boys here do not know of any there.
The American Legion boys are in charge of the program for Memorial Day this year and are anxious that everything be done to make the day a real success. The program is as follows:
10:30 A. M. - Selections by band on Kansas Avenue.
10:45 A. M. - Form procession on Kansas Avenue,
consisting of band and ex-service men of all wars and proceed to cemetery.11:00 A. M. - At Cemetery Chapel - Selection by band; Invocation; Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, by J. Fuller Groom; Introduction of speaker; Address; National Anthem by band; Salute to Dead, Legion Firing Squad; Taps - Chas. Painter.
Those in charge of the program on Thursday urgently request all Civil War Veterans, Spanish-American War Veterans and World War Veterans answer to assemble at the Legion Club rooms at 10:00 A. M. to take part in the ceremonies of the day. Transportation will be provided for all.
Also see:
Soldier's Reunion, The Medicine Lodge Cresset, 23 Oct 1879. (A list of Civil War veterans who attended the reunion.)
Barbour County, Kansas - 1883 List of Pensioners on the Roll
Grand Army of the Republic Officers Elected
Barber County Index, December 18, 1901.G. A. R. GIVES LEGION CHARTER FOR SAFE KEEPING
Barber County Index, June 22, 1930.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!